Known to the prior art are apparatuses for conveying articles, in particular in the form of rolls of toilet paper or of paper towels, and which are located between a saw machine for cutting the articles from respective logs or elongate tubes, and at least corresponding first and second means for conveying the articles towards corresponding packaging machines by which the articles are packed in corresponding wrappers.
More specifically, these prior art apparatuses are designed to receive the articles from the log saw machine upstream, in particular from respective conveyor means of the log saw machine, which pick the rolls up by suction and, holding them from above, feed them towards the outfeed of the log saw machine.
In prior art installations, the conveying apparatus which switches or diverts the flow of rolls towards the respective packing machines uses, to perform the switching action movement, the space between the articles cut from respective logs, or elongate tubes, fed one after the other in sequence.
Known conveying and switching apparatuses comprise a supporting frame, conveyor means which receive the articles, or rolls, from the machine upstream which makes the articles, and movable conveyor means which are adapted to pass the articles, or rolls, respectively at least to first means or second means for conveying the articles downstream, towards corresponding points of use.
Prior art apparatuses downstream of the log saw receive the rolls cut from the logs from the suction feed means of the log saw.
The roll suction feed means of the log saw machine suffer from several problems relating to their effectiveness in holding the products and to the possibility of damaging or dirtying the articles or rolls when product feed is momentarily interrupted on account of a problem along the line and the rolls remain stationary for an excessive length of time on the selfsame suction outfeed means of the log saw machine.
To overcome these problems, feed means for feeding rolls out of the log saw machine have been developed which are adapted to engage and laterally support the articles and which act in conjunction with a respective off-centre strap by which the articles or cylindrical rolls are engaged on the opposite side of them.
One problem with these prior art apparatuses relates to the handling of the articles or rolls in their passage from the log saw machine upstream to the conveying apparatus downstream of the log saw machine, during which the rolls are dropped onto the conveying apparatus by the suction conveyor of the log saw machine.
In effect, the conveyors downstream of the log saw machine can receive the articles only supported centrally. As a result, the rolls are passed on to the conveying or switching apparatus downstream in a non-optimal manner, with the risk of the rolls tipping over or being positioned transversely, thereby holding up the feed system and leading to machine shutdowns and consequent production losses.
Moreover, the trade also feels the need for conveying apparatuses which are simple in construction and inexpensive.
Another need felt by the field is that of achieving maximum operating integration between the machines upstream by which the articles are made and the conveying or switching means by which the articles are carried to the points of use downstream.